View all newsletters
Sign up for our free email newsletters

Fighting for quality news media in the digital age.

  1. Archive content
June 22, 2006updated 22 Nov 2022 7:55pm

Paedophile campaign didn’t lead to ‘mob rule’ insists NoW editor

By Press Gazette

As News of the World journalists celebrated success in their six-year "Sarah's Law" campaign this week, editor Andy Coulson has responded to claims his paper "blackmailed" the Government.

The NoW campaign is named after Sarah Payne, the eight-year-old schoolgirl murdered by a paedophile near her home. It calls for parents to be given the right to have information about sex offenders living near them.

Home Secretary John Reid revealed last week that he would be sending a senior minister to the US to see how the prototype of "Sarah's Law" works there.

But this week chief constable of Dyfed and Powys police Terry Grange accused the Government of driving the country towards "mob rule" with a populist approach to law and order. He also claimed ministers were pandering to a tabloid agenda.

NoW editor Andy Coulson told Press Gazette he believes there has been a "sea change" at the Home Office under John Reid and that Home Office plans to visit the US are a "sensible first step".

Coulson said: "Our job is to represent the views of our readers — I've never before been involved in a campaign that's generated a million signatures.

Their view hasn't changed over the last six years, if anything it has hardened."

Content from our partners
MHP Group's 30 To Watch awards for young journalists open for entries
How PA Media is helping newspapers make the digital transition
Publishing on the open web is broken, how generative AI could help fix it

He added: "I don't believe that Terry Grange's views are those of the broad range of policemen.

"Campaigning is a central part of a newspaper's role to represent our readers. What he said is just nonsense, it is a newspaper campaign in the great tradition of newspaper campaigns.

"I know we are representing our readers on this issue — the question for Mr Grange is whether he is representing the people he's supposed to — I don't believe he is."

Email pged@pressgazette.co.uk to point out mistakes, provide story tips or send in a letter for publication on our "Letters Page" blog

Select and enter your email address Weekly insight into the big strategic issues affecting the future of the news industry. Essential reading for media leaders every Thursday. Your morning brew of news about the world of news from Press Gazette and elsewhere in the media. Sent at around 10am UK time. Our weekly does of strategic insight about the future of news media aimed at US readers. A fortnightly update from the front-line of news and advertising. Aimed at marketers and those involved in the advertising industry.
  • Business owner/co-owner
  • CEO
  • COO
  • CFO
  • CTO
  • Chairperson
  • Non-Exec Director
  • Other C-Suite
  • Managing Director
  • President/Partner
  • Senior Executive/SVP or Corporate VP or equivalent
  • Director or equivalent
  • Group or Senior Manager
  • Head of Department/Function
  • Manager
  • Non-manager
  • Retired
  • Other
Visit our privacy Policy for more information about our services, how New Statesman Media Group may use, process and share your personal data, including information on your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications.
Thank you

Thanks for subscribing.

Websites in our network